Pastels and Watercolors (and a few other art media)

[SquarePeg]

Good work! I'm happy you posted!

This is not an easy subject. Charlie was just trying to get you to make lines and think about shading and diagonals. You're already getting into depth and perspectives!

You're already better than you think you are. Just keep at it. Since you obviously don't mind challenging yourself, just be patient like you were when learning photography.

Thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate it. I’d much prefer to paint some colorful flower or garden scenes. Impressionism is more what I like but that is something I have no idea how to do. I may try what you’ve done on a simpler scale and attempt to copy some of my favorites.

 

[snowbear]

Fantastic, Sharon. Please, keep them coming, and forget about the corner.
Try dabbing the paint on the paper/canvas. Maybe try using something like a small piece of sponge instead of a paintbrush. Pick photos out of magazines or books to copy, as well. My "other" site is a royalty-free reference photo site, so look around there if you don't have any of your own.

Most beginner's art classes I'm familiar with begin with black & white, usually charcoal on newsprint. For one, it's relatively cheap, and you don't have to worry about color theory while you concentrate on perspective, value, and composition.

 

[SquarePeg]

Fantastic, Sharon. Please, keep them coming, and forget about the corner.
Try dabbing the paint on the paper/canvas. Maybe try using something like a small piece of sponge instead of a paintbrush. Pick photos out of magazines or books to copy, as well. My "other" site is a royalty-free reference photo site, so look around there if you don't have any of your own.

Most beginner's art classes I'm familiar with begin with black & white, usually charcoal on newsprint. For one, it's relatively cheap, and you don't have to worry about color theory while you concentrate on perspective, value, and composition.

Thanks. I think that’s part of my problem. I want to skip ahead to using color! I want to paint fields of flowers and beaches at dawn and mountains and meadows but I don’t want to spend any time learning lol! I don’t have the patience that I used to. I ordered a set of watercolor pencils today and will try to follow a few tutorials that I found online. We’ll see how I do.

 

[terri]

Tutorials are a great idea. Free online, and you can stop and re-start as many times as you need. For just getting started, getting some sketches completed, and getting used to a new process, they're hard to beat.

Once you have gained some confidence in handling the media, I agree with copying paintings that you like. You're only going to love them more!

You mentioned wanting to draw landscapes, fields of flowers, etc. Keep in mind that lots of details can be challenging at first. Simple compositions or subjects can serve you well in the beginning.

 

[snowbear]

The pencils are a pretty cool way to go - I just lay down color, then brush on water to get the washes. After dries, I will sometimes go back and put in like details and hit those with a smaller brush.

 

[waday]

Cool! ! ! He looks great!

I love seeing work-in-progress (wip) pics. It's interesting to see how others build up their works. I have an annoying habit of forgetting to take them when I get going, but I always appreciate them later.

@waday: how would you rate charcoal as far as ease of removing lines? I'm a terrible sketch/drawer, and am always trying to remove bad lines as I go. Trying to get away from simple graphite, which erases easily but I'd prefer to just rub or gently scuff something off.

I agree, I never take WIP photos, but you’ve inspired me.

As for erasing, it depends on a number of factors, or at least that’s what I’ve noticed. It will depend on the paper used, the shade, the pressure, and the eraser. If you’re starting a sketch that you know you’ll want to erase, I’d start with a light shade (or even white depending on paper color) with very light pressure. And even then, I’d be cognizant that you might not be able to fully erase the charcoal and you also risk spreading the charcoal even more if not done carefully.

I used my regular notebook to show a couple different options (all using a medium shade). And a regular #2 pencil eraser. Ideally I’d probably use a kneading eraser, but silly me, I didn’t order one. Erasing can also help show highlights, which is pretty neat.


Erase by Wade, on Flickr

 

[limr]

Found some tutorials and am learning how to do some impressionist flowers. I'm using gouache paints as watercolors and experimenting to see how different things look while I'm working with the wet paint and after they dry. This is my "what does this paint do in the watery-est state?" phase of learning. I've already gotten an idea of what they do when they are a bit thicker.

I know I still have a long way to go, but the attempts are getting better so I thought I'd screw up the guts to post The flowers are better than the stems - these particular stems are part of my attempt to learn color mixing. I also started playing with layering and shading to create texture in the tree trunk on the right. The "leaves" are a crude start at figuring out proportion and it sucks so I covered most of it with the other flower

 

[SquarePeg]

@limr nice! I like the poppy and think you did a great job with the shading on the trunk.

I too was watching a few tutorials on watercolor flowers tonight and am itching to give some of the different techniques a try. I may have to borrow some of Princess’s supplies tomorrow night!

 

[limr]

@limr nice! I like the poppy and think you did a great job with the shading on the trunk.

I too was watching a few tutorials on watercolor flowers tonight and am itching to give some of the different techniques a try. I may have to borrow some of Princess’s supplies tomorrow night!

It's funny - the poppy looked terrible while it was still wet, and then looked much better after it was dried. The lilac was the opposite - much better wet and not as good as it dried. I feel kind of like the lilac is not done - that the first part is doing the watery base and after it dries, do more detail work with thicker paint. I just don't have any idea what to do or how to do it yet. This is what I am trying to learn about how these paints work. I painted that poppy 10-15 times so far and plan on doing the same until I can be consistent. Then I'll move onto the other shapes that were in the tutorial.

I did remember that I have actual watercolors, so I think I'm going to try the same poppies to see how differently the paint behaves. We can have watercolor painting parties on Zoom!

 

[SquarePeg]

Count me in. Paint night!

 

[snowbear]

It's funny - the poppy looked terrible while it was still wet, and then looked much better after it was dried. The lilac was the opposite - much better wet and not as good as it dried. I feel kind of like the lilac is not done - that the first part is doing the watery base and after it dries, do more detail work with thicker paint. I just don't have any idea what to do or how to do it yet. This is what I am trying to learn about how these paints work. I painted that poppy 10-15 times so far and plan on doing the same until I can be consistent. Then I'll move onto the other shapes that were in the tutorial.

I did remember that I have actual watercolors, so I think I'm going to try the same poppies to see how differently the paint behaves. We can have watercolor painting parties on Zoom!

Transparency will differ in watercolor, as well; between brands, quality (student vs. pro), and even by color.
I've been using a set of Crayola "kid's" watercolors for the practice and quick sketch stuff. Zoom party! Sounds like a winner.

 

[waday]

I’m in for a Zoom party..

@limr, love the flowers

 

[terri]

Cool! ! ! He looks great!

I love seeing work-in-progress (wip) pics. It's interesting to see how others build up their works. I have an annoying habit of forgetting to take them when I get going, but I always appreciate them later.

@waday: how would you rate charcoal as far as ease of removing lines? I'm a terrible sketch/drawer, and am always trying to remove bad lines as I go. Trying to get away from simple graphite, which erases easily but I'd prefer to just rub or gently scuff something off.

I agree, I never take WIP photos, but you’ve inspired me.

As for erasing, it depends on a number of factors, or at least that’s what I’ve noticed. It will depend on the paper used, the shade, the pressure, and the eraser. If you’re starting a sketch that you know you’ll want to erase, I’d start with a light shade (or even white depending on paper color) with very light pressure. And even then, I’d be cognizant that you might not be able to fully erase the charcoal and you also risk spreading the charcoal even more if not done carefully.

I used my regular notebook to show a couple different options (all using a medium shade). And a regular #2 pencil eraser. Ideally I’d probably use a kneading eraser, but silly me, I didn’t order one. Erasing can also help show highlights, which is pretty neat.


Erase by Wade, on Flickr

Thanks a ton for this info. This is a great visual! I see by the erase lines that smudging can be a concern. My soft pastel pencils do the same. hmm.

I should just try to get better with my sketching, period. In the meantime, plain old graphite might just be something I go back to. I have a set of drawing pencils, and can use a "hard" one with light pressure to get the lightest touch, I think. I'll have to play around.

 

[terri]

Found some tutorials and am learning how to do some impressionist flowers. I'm using gouache paints as watercolors and experimenting to see how different things look while I'm working with the wet paint and after they dry. This is my "what does this paint do in the watery-est state?" phase of learning. I've already gotten an idea of what they do when they are a bit thicker.

I know I still have a long way to go, but the attempts are getting better so I thought I'd screw up the guts to post The flowers are better than the stems - these particular stems are part of my attempt to learn color mixing. I also started playing with layering and shading to create texture in the tree trunk on the right. The "leaves" are a crude start at figuring out proportion and it sucks so I covered most of it with the other flower

View attachment 191317

The flowers look delicate and lovely! I think they both dried down beautifully. Everything you're describing is why I'm intimidated by watercolors.

Here's an older sketch in oil pastels, learning leaves:

I'm not wild about the flower itself but liked how the leaves turned out. That's a dark green along the bottom edges, and in the inside for veins, and two lighter greens along the tops and in the inside. I've learned to use at least 3 different shades, even a dark yellow. It all blends pretty well.

I still suck at flowers, though. They just never look good.

 

[waday]

Cool! ! ! He looks great!

I love seeing work-in-progress (wip) pics. It's interesting to see how others build up their works. I have an annoying habit of forgetting to take them when I get going, but I always appreciate them later.

@waday: how would you rate charcoal as far as ease of removing lines? I'm a terrible sketch/drawer, and am always trying to remove bad lines as I go. Trying to get away from simple graphite, which erases easily but I'd prefer to just rub or gently scuff something off.

I agree, I never take WIP photos, but you’ve inspired me.

As for erasing, it depends on a number of factors, or at least that’s what I’ve noticed. It will depend on the paper used, the shade, the pressure, and the eraser. If you’re starting a sketch that you know you’ll want to erase, I’d start with a light shade (or even white depending on paper color) with very light pressure. And even then, I’d be cognizant that you might not be able to fully erase the charcoal and you also risk spreading the charcoal even more if not done carefully.

I used my regular notebook to show a couple different options (all using a medium shade). And a regular #2 pencil eraser. Ideally I’d probably use a kneading eraser, but silly me, I didn’t order one. Erasing can also help show highlights, which is pretty neat.


Erase by Wade, on Flickr

Thanks a ton for this info. This is a great visual! I see by the erase lines that smudging can be a concern. My soft pastel pencils do the same. hmm.

I should just try to get better with my sketching, period. In the meantime, plain old graphite might just be something I go back to. I have a set of drawing pencils, and can use a "hard" one with light pressure to get the lightest touch, I think. I'll have to play around.

Smudging is a major concern, because the lightest touch can ruin the effect of the texture. That goes for erasing or accidentally touching it. And even storing it. I’m going to experiment with a fixative on my shark to see how well it works.